Breaking Down the Barriers
by MoonlightSpirit
Summary: Zuko and Katara are becoming closer as friends. And Mai sees this. Now Zuko must make the decision wheather or not to break up with Mai. And how is Mai feeling, knowing her boyfriend is in love with another girl? Songfic to 'Barriers' by David Archuleta.


**This is a request from DefyGravity2502. Here's **_**Breaking Down the Barriers**_**! Enjoy!**

**_PLEASE READ THIS:_ I suggest listening to the songwhile reading this. The song is _Barriers _by David Archuleta.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or the song _Barriers_.**

Fire Lord Zuko strolled through the halls of the Fire Nation Palace with his best friend Katara chatting at his side.

"I hate that Admiral Zao," Katara said, arms crossed defiantly over her chest. Even two years after the end of the war, there was still work to be done on the world. Katara, who had been staying at the Fire Nation palace for the past few days, had sat in a meeting about making a peace treaty with the Northern Water Tribe.

"I don't like him any more than you do," Zuko said, pulling his hair out of its uncomfortable topknot and letting it fall to his shoulders.

"The old pervert," Katara muttered, "Looking down my dress the whole meeting. And then having the nerve to try to grope me during dinner! Geez, it's been like this since news spread that Aang and I broke up, guys coming after me left and right, old and young."

"But Katara, there was no need to water whip him out of his chair," Zuko said, chuckling at the memory.

"Why is he even still around?" Katara asked.

"Despite the way he acts, Admiral Zao is probably the best Admiral the Fire Nation has," Zuko said, "Besides, it was partially your fault for wearing that dress." Zuko grinned at Katara, who was in an ice blue off the shoulder silk dress with elaborate water tribe designs and was a bit low cut. Katara blushed.

"I was running late and grabbed the first things my hands touched," Katara said, "What about you Mr. I-desperately-need-a-haircut?" Katara playfully ruffled Zuko's hair.

"Hey, I like my hair long," Zuko said, swiping away Katara's hand, "And look whose talking." Zuko eyed Katara's hair, which had grown well past her waist. Katara pouted at him, the stormed ahead. But Zuko knew she wasn't mad. He caught the smile that crept across her face. She was just doing this to play with him. Zuko walked faster to catch up to her, but Katara sped up. Soon the two were running down the halls of the palace, laughing and shouting at each other.

"Bet you can't get me!" Katara laughed. But no sooner the words left her mouth that Zuko grabbed her around the waist.

"Gotcha!" he laughed, pushing open the door near him with his hip. Him and Katara, still in his arms and both of them laughing, stumbled into the room…where Zuko's girlfriend Mai was lying on the red velvet couch, reading a book.

"Having fun?" she said, her usually monotone voice tinged with jealousy.

"Zuko was just acting like a five-year-old," Katara said as Zuko let go of her and straightened out her dress, "I'll just go back to my room." Katara left the room, closing the door behind her. Zuko cleared his throat uncomfortably and walked over to his desk, sitting behind it and beginning the pile of paperwork. He avoided Mai's eyes, not sure what to say to her.

_Hey_

_(Hey)_

_Hey_

_Hey_

_Mmmm_

_Well, I don't know how to say this right_

_  
And the words got me chokin'_

His and Mai's relationship already seemed to be on the rocks. There just wasn't that spark between them anymore. But it would look horrible if they broke up. If Mai broke up with him, it would be bad publicity for her father that his daughter broke up with the Fire Lord. If Zuko broke up with her, it would be bad publicity that the Fire Lord broke the heart of a respectable young woman.

__

I keep hittin' this wall

It's never gonna fall

And we're still broken

But continuing this relationship couldn't be healthy for either of them. And Zuko was thinking of breaking up with Mai, despite the bad publicity it would start. And there was the fact that he could never get Katara of his mind…

__

This mountain we've been trying to climb

It's never ending

Just can't do nothing

Gotta do something

'Cause if we don't open up our eyes

We're just pretending

Lately, it felt like there were barriers between him and Mai. A barrier between being lovers and breaking up, a barrier between arguing and loving, a barrier between the lives they lived and the lives they wished they had.

"Are you okay Zuko?" Mai asked from her seat, "You're awfully quite."

__

Well, there's a time for givin' up

Didn't want to have to say it

All we doin' is building walls

And now there's too many barriers

"Come lay down with me," she said, scooting over on the couch. Biting back the heavy sigh that rose in his throat, Zuko stood up and walked over to the couch, ling down next to Mai and wrapping an arm around her.

"Zuko, I think we need to talk," Mai said, closing her book and putting it down on the nearby table, "About us."

_  
Here we are lying here_

_  
It's our last final goodnight_

"I know we're happy together," Mai said, "This should be perfect for us. The Fire Lord with a Fire Nation native who is daughter to a highly respected man," Mai gave a small humorless laugh, "Like a fairytale."

_  
Just because it feels so good_

_  
No use pretending we're alright_

"But I've noticed we've been distant lately," Mai said, "As if there are barriers between us."

_  
Too many locks, too many crimes_

_  
Too many tears, too many lies_

_  
Too many barriers_

_  
Ohhh_

_  
Just too many barriers_

"And quite frankly, I'm getting tired of dragging out a relationship that's going nowhere," Mai said, her voice turning a bit stern, "It's that waterbending girl, isn't it?" Zuko blushed slightly. How did Mai know of his more than friendship feelings for Katara?

_Hey_

_Now we've been draggin' this whole thing out_

_  
But I can't wait any longer_

"Ever since she started staying here, it hasn't been the same between us," Mai said, her voice turning angry now, "You spend all of your time with her and barley any time with me. And even before she came, you barley shut up about her."

_  
Our love's burning down_

_  
Creepin' in the doubt_

_  
We're not getting any stronger_

"Mai," Zuko said, "Katara and I…we're…Mai, you know I still…care for you."

_  
I hear you say that we're doin' OK_

Mai let out a humorless laugh.

"Care," she said, standing up suddenly, "Not love?! That waterbender is coming between us! Can't you see that?"

_  
But, baby, I don't think so_

_  
Just can't do nothin', gotta do something_

_  
'Cause if I don't get into my car I won't go very far.  
_

"Spirits, I never thought I'd say this," Mai said, "Zuko, I think we should break up. I'm tired of trying to break down these barriers that refuse to fall."

_  
Well there's a time for giving up_

_  
Didn't want to have to say it_

_  
All we're doing is building walls_

_  
Now there's too many barriers_

_Here we are lying here_

_  
It's our last final goodnight_

_  
Just because it feels so good_

_  
No use pretending we're alright_

_  
Too many locks, too many crimes_

_  
Too many tears, too many lies_

_  
Too many barriers_

_  
Too many barriers_

"I'm going home," Mai said, grabbing her book and stuffing it into her black bag.

"Mai," Zuko said, standing up quickly. Mai strode over to the door, but Zuko caught her by her wrist.

"What do you want?!" she screamed at him, spinning around. Zuko was taken aback from her sudden scream and from the fact that tears had begun to stream down her face. Zuko had never seen Mai so emotional. Zuko wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

_Just too many barriers_

_  
That we keep running into_

_  
Been tryin', but we just can't break through_

_  
I know I'm gonna keep wishing I was with you_

_  
But we just gotta stop_

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair, "I never meant to hurt you again. But the feelings I have for Katara…"

"Are more than the feelings you have for me," Mai spat out, wiping away her tears, then letting her arms fall limply at her sides, "I know. It's painfully obvious."

"I'm so sorry," Zuko said, stroking her hair soothingly, "We're still friends, right?" Mai was silent for a moment. Then, slowly, her arms wrapped around his waist. She sighed heavily.

"You know I can never hate you," she said softly, "I'm not incredibly fond of you right now…but yeah, we're still friends." Mai slowly let go of Zuko, taking a step back.

"I'll see you around," she said, her hand on the doorknob, "Goodnight." Mai opened the door and walked out of the room, leaving the door slightly open behind her.

_Here we are lying here_

_  
It's our last final goodnight_

__

Just because it feels so good

No use pretending we're alright

Too many locks, too many crimes

Too many tears, too many lies

Too many barriers

Zuko walked out of the room and watched Mai rush down the hall. As she reached a corner, she bumped right into Katara. Mai looked from Katara, to Zuko and back again. She said something to Katara, patted her on the shoulder, and continued around the corner. Katara, looking confused, watched Mai go down the corner, then looked at Zuko and walked down the hall toward him.

_(In your hurry to get somewhere)_

_  
Too many barriers_

_(And the world's tryin' to block ya, block ya)_

__

Just too many barriers

And you feel like you're nowhere

'Cause the world's tryin' to stop ya

Stop ya

Too many barriers

_In your hurry to get somewhere_

_And the world's tryin' to block ya, block ya_

_Just too many barriers_

_And you feel like you're nowhere_

__

'Cause the world's tryin' to stop ya, stop ya

Too many barriers

"Did something happen between you and Mai?" she asked.

"What did Mai say to you?" Zuko asked. Katara's brow furrowed.

"She said 'Take care of him'," Katara said, "Zuko, what happened?" Zuko sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair.

"Mai and I broke up," Zuko said, still looking in the direction Mai had left. Katara's eyes widened.

"Oh," she said, "I'm sorry. Why did you break up?" Zuko's eyes looked down at Katara.

"Because I'm in love with you," he said, "And Mai saw it." If possible, Katara's eyes widened even more.

"Oh," she said again, a light blush staining her tan skin.

"So," Zuko said nervously, "Do you love me?" Katara looked up at him, a small smile on her face. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to Zuko's lips. After a few seconds, she backed away, a small smile on her face.

"I've always loved you," she said softly, "But you were with Mai and I was with Aang…"

"And it seemed like the right thing at the time," Zuko said, "But when you're not with the one you love, there are just too many barriers."

"Yeah," Katara agreed, "Too many barriers. So…" Katara gave him a small smile, "Are you ready to give us a try?" Zuko smiled at her.

"If you are," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Bring it on," she said, grabbing the front of Zuko's robes and pulling him down for another kiss.

**There's **_**Breaking Down the Barriers**_**. I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


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